The Opelousas courier., 1887-10-08
Prohibition i'm Atlanta.

OIL Dfldi III Ul1S CITY Is entitled To u pace alIODg
great events. No election of a local nature
was ever before held IN IA city OF sixty thous-
and people III which more Was Involved. The
changes proposed by il were SO radical as to
be almost revolutionary. Over a hundred
business houses wee to be closed. Nearly
five hundred men were to be forced 20 give
mp d chosen employment. The city treasury
was to heleft forty thousand dollars less rev.
enue. Trade amounting annually to millions
was TO be turned away from the city. Many
large business houses were to be left unrent-
ed. Of cuur-e II movement proposing meas
ures SO radical met with the most spirited aud
determined UppositiOu. Many of our best cit
liens regarded it with ontspoken d~isfavOr.
1t WAS said that prohibition In a city 80
large as this was ilnpracticahle, that 1t Woaid
not prohibit, that the trade would be injured,
that taxes would lie increased, that the stores
in which the liquor business was carried on
would not be rented for other purposes, that
the same amount of whisky would be drank
with the law as without it, that the city
would only miss the revenue, and that it would
be a death blow 10 Atlanta's progress.
1t has now been eighteen months since the
election, and twelve months since the law
vent into effect. We are prepared thus from
observation to note results.
Prohibition in this city does prohibit. The
law is observed as well as the law against car
rs ing concealed weapons, gambling. theft,
and other otfenses of like character. If there
nau neeH many people III FAVOR W CARRYING
concealed weapons, theft. gambling, etc, las
there were in favor of the retail of ardent spi-
rits. twelve months ago, the law against these
things would not have been carried out as
well as it was against the ilqlor-trade. In
consideration of the small majority with which
prohibition was carried and the large NUM-
her of people who We're opposed to seeing it
prohibit, the law has been Inarvelously well
observed.
Prohibition has not injured the city inan-
cialiy. According To the assessors books pro-
perry in the city has increased over two mil
lion dollars. Taxes have not been increased.
Two streets in this city, Decateur and Peters,
were known AS liquor streets. IT. was hardly
considered proper for ii lady To walk these
streets without all escort. Now they are just
as orderly as any III the city. Property on
them has advanced from 10 to 25 per cent.
The loss of $4,000 revenue, consequent on
closing the saloons, has tended in no degree
to impede the city's progress i'll any direction.
Large appropriations have been made TO the
water-w0rks, the public schools, the p edinont
fair and other improvements The business
men have rGTSAd $400, 900 To build the Atlanta
and Hawkinsville Railroad. The number of
city banks is to he increased 10 five. The
coming of four new railroads has heen settled
during the year. Fifteen new stores contain
ing house furnishing goods have been started
since prohibitions went into effect. These are
doing well. More furniture has been sold TO
6bs4 " it% tulN III hG 49, WI U
months than. in any twelve months during the
history of the city. The manufacturing es-
Establishments of the city have received new
life. A glass factory has been huilt. A cotton
seed oil mill is being BUILT, worth $t25,O 600
All improvement companies with Il basis in
real estate have seen their stock doubled III
value since the election ON prohibition.
Stores in which the liquor trade WAS con-
Quoted are not vacant. but are now occupied
by other lines of trade. According TO the real
estate men, more laborers and mea of limited
means are buying lots than ever before. Rents
are more promptly paid than formerly. Mere
houses are rented by the same number of FAM
lies than heretofore. Before prohibition,
sometimes as many as three families would
live in oE9hou>e. The heads of those FAINT
lies, now not spending their money for drink.
are each able to rent 4 house. Thus using three
instead Of oneo WorkilI.meiI. who formerly
spent IL great part of their money for liquor.
now spend it in fuOd and CLOTHES for their fam
lilies. The retail grocery men sell more goods
and collect their bills better than ever before.
Thus they are able to settle more promptly
with the wholesale aien.
A perceptible increase has been noticed in
the E9mber Of people who ride OH the street
cars. According to the coal dealers, many
people bought coal and stored it away last
winter who had never heen known to do SO
before. Others, who had been accustomed 70
buying two or three tons on time, this VIM
ter bought seven or eight and paid cash for
it. A leading proprietor of "a millinery 81 ore
said that he had sold more hats and bonnets
to laboriBg men, for their wives and daugt-
ters than before in thehistory of his business.
Contractors say their men do better work aud
o n Saturday evenings, when they receive
their weeks wages, spend the same fog -four,
hams, dry-goods, or other necessary things
for their families. Thus they are in ibetter
spirits, rave more hope, and are not inclined
to strike and growl about higher wages. ~
Attendance upon the public schools has in